Waterline thermostat



March 16, 1965 F. E. OBERMAIER 3,l73,609

WATERLTNE THERMOSTAT A ORNEYS March 16, 1965 F. E. OBERMAIER WATERLINE THERMOSTAT 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 5. 1961 INVENTOR. 54AM/ @MMA/ae m m o n A United States Patent 3,173,669 WATERLINE THERMOSTAT Frank E. Obermaier, Park Ridge, Ill., assignor to The Dole Valve Company, Morton Grove, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Filed Apr. 3, 1961, Ser. No. 100,336 1 Claim. (Cl. 236-34) This invention relates to waterline thermostats and more particularly relates to waterline thermostat having improved structural characteristics tending to increase the life and efciency thereof.

A number of waterline thermostats have been devised which employ a ported valve seat, a stirrup connected to the seat, a temperature sensitive power unit extending through the port and having a piston or power member abutting and connecting to the stirrup and a relatively movable portion or casing connected to a valve which is cooperable with the port. A guide of some sort is provided for the casing of the power unit. Springs serve to bias the casing and the valve in one direction and thermal energization of the power unit caused by predetermined ambient temperature conditions effects movement thereof in an opposite direction. Bleed ports are generally provided either in the transverse wall or in the valve member itself to permit a small amount of air and/ or liquid ow past the valve when the valve member is in a seated position. In some cases the valve member is not made to seat very snugly on its seating surface so that there is an inherent fluid bleed in the valve itself.

Poppet type valve members, however, of whatever size are subject to high frequency vibrations when exposed to pressurized fluid and the magnitude of these vibrations is of course dependent on the pressure of that fluid on one side of the valve member, or more accurately, the pressure drop across the valve member.

It was thought that by designing such valve structures so that the power member would be movably rather than rigidly aixed to the stirrup, undesirable stirrup distortion and breakage could be largely eliminated. In designing such valves, the stirrup was apertured to receive the outer free end of the power member and the power member carried a collar thereon which was generally seated on the inner surface of the stirrup. The aperture was of greater diameter than the free end of the power member so that the power member could tilt with respect to the stirrup with the collar lifting off the stirrup so that only an edge thereof rode on the stirrup. Valves constructed in accordance with this concept however did not satisfactorily withstand life tests. Indeed, it was found that the stirrups of valves constructed in this manner were literally cut in two.

I have discovered that one of the reasons for such stirrup breakage lies in the fact' that the power unit to which the valve member is connected tends to oscillate under ambient high pressure uid conditions and such oscillation causes the collar on the power member to actually cut into or saw through the stirrup.

To obviate the disadvantages of movably mounting the power member on the stirrup while still obviating the disadvantages encountered in providing a rigid connection etween the stirrup and power, I have devised a structure wherein the power member may be mounted for tiltable or rockable movement on the stirrup and yet in which it is prevented from moving axially and in which sawing of the stirrup may be prevented.

In accordance with my invention, the power member has a circumferential recess formed therearound which defines a head at the outer end of the power member. The head has a rounded end surface which lits within a complimentary socket formed in the stirrup. A portion of the stirrup fits about the head and is turned inwardly within the circumferential recess in the power member to prevent axial movement of that power member. I have found that a device constructed in accordance with these principles will satisfactorily withstand life tests under the most adverse conditions.

I have devised a means whereby coolant llow past the valve member of the thermostat can be positively prevented until the coolant has reached the desired temperature and yet in which trapped air may be permitted to escape from the block and travel past the valve member. Such air will then travel to the radiator and may there be vented to the atmosphere.

The particular means that I have devised for accomplishing this object comprises basically a ball valve which is confined for limited freedom of movement on the block-side of the transverse wall extending across the thermostat and which is cooperable with a bleed port formed within that transverse wall. The ball valve, if initially not seated on the bleed port, will be sucked into the bleed port to close all fluid communication therethrough as a result of a predetermined pressure differential thereacross caused by fluid impinging on the ball valve from the engine block and seeking an exit through the bleed port. Since exansion of the coolant within the engine block caused by heating thereof is relatively slow and since the pressure head of coolant and air seeking exit through the bleed port is quite different for each of the two iiuids, I have been able to design a ball valve with suiiicient mass to permit the gradual seepage of air through the bleed port but to seat on that port when the coolant seeks an exit therethrough. Air trapped within the engine block can therefore be permitted to escape past the valve member while the thermostat will act to positively prevent any flow of liquid to the radiator until the coolant within the block has reached the desired temperature.

In view of the foregoing it is a principal object of this invention to provide an improved fluid control valve of the type generally referred to above wherein the power member of the temperature sensitive power unit is rockably mounted on the valve stirrup.

Another object of the invention is directed to the provision of a waterline thermostate with a main valve member and separate means for permitting the flow of air past the thermostat but which will be effective to prevent the flow of liquid therepast.

A still further and important object of the invention as will hereafter be pointed out resides in the provision of a waterline thermostat of the type above described in which the means for confining the ball valve on the blockside" of the transverse wall of the thermostat comprises an extension from and an integral part of the power unit guide.

These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specification proceeds and with reference to the accompanying drawings, where- 1n:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a waterline thermostat constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the thermostat illustrated in FIGURE l and taken along lines II-II of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom plan view 'of the thermostat illustrated in FIGURES l 'and 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a fragmental horizontal sectional view looking downwardly from a line passing just below the transverse wall adjacent the ball valve.

The waterline thermostat l0 illustrated in the drawings comprises generally a transverse wall piece 11 which has an annular flange i2 extending therefrom which provides a means for mounting the thermostat l0 in a desired location-in the cooling system of a road vehicle or the like. The transverse wall piece 11 also has 'an inwardly and upwardly extending portion 13 which is' apertured as at 14 to dene a main port for the flow of coolant through the; thermostat. y

A stirrup 15 extends upwardly vfrom the transverse wall piece vr11 and isrigidly connected thereto by welding or the like, as desired. Y The stirrup 15 is preferably formed from an elongated Ynarrow piece of stock which is bent along its longitudinal axis to provide a strong and rigid support.

A temperature sensitive power unitisl of the well known"solidfill'type and comprises a temperature sensi- Y tive portion 21, a collar 22, a power member guide portion 23,"and a power member 24. The thermostat contains a fusible thermally expansible material within the temperature'sensitive portion 21 which expands whenthe l ambient temperatures rises to or above the critical temperature of the expansible material. The expansible material acts against a diaphragm withinV the power unit which, in turn, abuts or is connected tothe power member 24 so that heating of the temperature sensitive portion 21 above the critical temperature of the expansible.

around and which defines a head 26 at the outer end ot"-V the power member. The head 26 has a rounded end surface 27 which-fitswithin a complimentary socket 28y formed in the stirrup. 15. The socket 28 canl be formedV in any `desired manner and simply constitutes a rounded out portionof the stirrup 15. 1t is important tonote however that curvilinear fingers 29.are formed integrally For the purposes of simplicity, that por-v Y and Vof acting as a means vfor returning the power unit to Vsensitive portion 21.` The'spring 36 extends around the spring guide portion 31 of the base wall piece 30 and is thereby maintained` in its; proper position'on the base wall piece. Y

Turning now more-particularly.toFIGURESv 3, 'and 4', the transverse wall'piece with `12 has a small diameter bleed port40g formed therein; vA ball valve .'41 is cooperable with this bleed vport to rcontrolxtheflow offluid therethrough and will act to completely shut off any flow of fluid through the bleed por-t whenitis seated on that port. lVfeansy are provided for confiningthe ba1l'valve-41l for limited freedom-of movement in, an larea adjacent to the bleed port40. This means comprises generallyv aleg 42 which `extendsoutwardlyffromfthel base wall piece 30 and a curvilinearfinger 43 which-partially surrounds the ballv valve 41 and which is formed integnallywith the leg 42. yIn the illustrated embodiment ofmy invention, the port '40-v is formed` through the l.transverse wall 11 at a point'padjacent to a depending wall portion 44'` of the transverserwallso that the bally valve 41- is caged between the Wall portion 44; the leg 42, andthe curved iinger-l43. It willbe understoodthatthe port 40 need not be formed adjacent to the wall portion 44v and in such instances the curved finger 43' could be4 made circular or nearly circular sothaty the ngerand ,the leg would themselves act to Y raised, the coolant will tend-to expand and'y to force" any with the stirrup 15` and extend Yaround the head 27 and are bent inwardly within the circumferential recess on opposite sides of the power member to positivelyprevent the power member 24 from having any axial movement with respect to the'- stirrup 15. It will vbe noted however that the curvilinear fingers 29 are inturned only a sufiicient distance to prevent the head 26 from moving out` of the socket 28 andlthat they do not prevent the power member 24 from having rockable movement with respect to the socket 28. The rounded end 27 of the head 26 will therefore be free to rock slightly within-thel socket 28; a very small amountof rockabletmovement being all thatis necessary Yto obviater the disadvantagesl of prior typesy ofdevices whichhave already-been characterized above. Y y

A- basey Wall piece -is afixed tothe transverse wall 11 in preferably the same manneras'they stirrupv is afiixed to that wall land extends from the wall in an opposite 'direction from the stirrup 15. The base wall piece 30r which is centrally apertured to receive the temperature sensitive portion 21 ofthe power 20. p The intumed flange seats upon thevcollar 22 and is preferably vmaintained in engagement therewith by meansof a -power unit return spring 36which is interposed betweenthe outturned a'nge 34 of the 'valve ymember 33 andthe base wall piece 30; The spring 36 thus serves the dual purpose of positively mountingthe valve member 3 3 on the collar 22 trapped air within the.` block to `seek an exit. The ball valve 41 will normally be resting on the .leg 42 so thatv the air withinl the engine block will bel free to seep past the valve and throughthe bleed port'40 and may then travel to the radiatorjfromwhich it can rbe ventedl to the" atmosphere.

f' If howeverthe temperaturev of the coolant within the engine block raises to a degree'such that 'the' heatedcoolant-'seeks a higher level and begins to 110W through the bleed port 40 the pressure head of the liquid and the pressure differentialcreated'across the ball valve 41 by liquid flowing around the valve and beginningto flow through the bleed'port 40`will'act toseat`the ball valve 41 on the port andk completely-shut off liquid How therethrough.

When the ambient temperaturearound the temperature sensitiveportion 21 raises above the critical temperature stirrup the .valve member 33 willbevunseafted from the rup- VVwardly andinw-ardly extendingV wall portion 13 to permit the liquid within .the engine block to travelto the radiator. When the ambient temperature about the temperature sensitive portionf21l decreases so that it is` lower than` the critical temperature of the temperature sensitive substance contained therein, the-compression spring 36 will act Vagainst the valve member 33which, in fturn, will act against the casingofthe power unit to return the ypower unit to the position illustrated in ,FIGURE-2.

It will be understoodV thatthese embodiments of the invention have been used for illustrative purposes only and that various modifications and variations in the present invention may be effected `without departing from the spirit andscope ofthe novelvconcepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

A waterline thermostat for controlling the unidirectional ow of liquid through a conduit which comprises, a transverse wall piece positioned within the conduit and having a stirrup and a base connected thereto and extending from opposite sides thereof, a port formed within said transverse wall, a temperature operable power unit having a casing and a power member relatively extensible therefrom, a circumferential recess formed within said power member adjacent the free end thereof, said recess delining a rounded head at the outer free end of said power member, a pair of ears formed integrally with and depending from said stirrup centrally thereof, a socket formed within said stirrup by said ears and rockably receiving said rounded head, said ears having ends crimped inwardly within said recess to prevent axial movement of said power member relative to said bracket while still permitting rockable movement therebetween, means guiding said casing for movement axially of said port, and valve means extending from said casing and cooperable with said port to control fluid flow therethrough.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 313,081 3/85 Kelly. 1,607,745 11/26 Palm 236-34 2,147,513 2/39 Baker 236-12 2,174,042 9/39 Rose 236-345 2,829,835 4/58 Branson 236-345 2,842,317 7/58 Wood 236-34 2,857,105 10/58 Drapeau 236-34 2,872,118 2/59 Puster 236-34 EDWARD I. MICHAEL, Primary Examiner.

JAMES W. WESTHAVER, FREDERICK L. MATTE- SON, JR., PERCY L. PATRICK, Examiners. 

